BREED STANDARDS FOR THE CHIHUAHUA

If you plan to show your dog or become involved in serious breeding you need to become familiar with the differences that must be noted in the listed requirements between kennel clubs. This list is for the AKC. The standard requirements differ between the clubs, jurisdictions and then again for international show.

GENERAL APPEARANCE:

A graceful, alert, swift-moving little dog with saucy expression, compact, and with terrier-like qualities of temperament.

SIZE, PROPORTION, SUBSTANCE:

Weight: A well balanced little dog not to exceed 6 pounds.

Proportion: The body is off-square: hence, slightly longer when measured from point of shoulder to point of buttocks, than height at the withers. Somewhat shorter bodies are preferred in males.

Disqualification : Any dog over 6 pounds in weight.

HEAD:

A well rounded “apple dome” skull, with or without molera.

Expression: Saucy.

Eyes: Full, but not protruding, balanced, set well apart-luminous dark or luminous ruby.

Light eyes: in blond or white-colored dogs permissible.

MUZZLE:

Moderately short, slightly pointed. Cheeks and jaws lean.

NOSE

Self-colored in blond types, or black.

Self-colored in moles, blues, and chocolates.

Pink nose permissible in blond types.

BITE:

Level or scissors. Overshot or undershot bite or any distortion of the bite or jaw, should be penalized as a serious fault.

EYES:

Full, but not protruding, balanced, set well apart-luminous dark or luminous ruby. “Light eyes in blond or white-colored dogs permissible. ”

EARS:

Large, erect type ears, held more upright when alert, but flaring to the sides at a 45 degree angle when in repose, giving breadth between the ears.

NECK AND BODY:

NECK:

Slightly arched, gracefully sloping into lean shoulders.

BODY:

The top line is Level.

RIBCAGE:

Ribs rounded and well sprung (but not too much “barrel-shaped” ).

TAIL:

Moderately long, carried sickle either up or out, or in a loop over the back, with tip just touching the back. “Never tucked between legs. ”

Disqualifications: Cropped tail, bobtail.

RIBCAGE:

Ribcage is moderately sprung and extends back to a short and muscular loin.

FOREQUARTERS:

SHOULDER:

Lean, sloping into a slightly broadening support above straight forelegs that set well under, giving a free play at the elbows. Shoulders should be well up, giving balance and soundness, sloping into a level back. (Never down or low.) This gives a chestiness, and strength of forequarters, yet not of the “Bulldog” chest.

FEET:

A small, dainty foot with toes well split up but not spread, pads cushioned. (Neither the hare nor the cat foot.)

PASTERNS:

Fine:

HINDQUARTERS:

Muscular, with hocks well apart, neither out nor in, well let down, firm and sturdy. The feet are as in front.

COAT:

In the Smooth Coats,

the coat should be of soft texture, close and glossy.

(Heavier coats with undercoats permissible.)

Coat placed well over body with ruff on neck preferred,

more scanty on head and ears.

Hair on tail preferred furry.

In Long Coats,

the coat should be of a soft texture, either flat or slightly curly, with undercoat preferred.

Ears: Fringed. (Heavily fringed ears may be tipped slightly if due to the fringes and not to weak ear leather, never down.)

COLOR:

Any color-Solid, marked or splashed.

GAIT:

The Chihuahua should move swiftly with a firm, sturdy action, with good reach in front equal to the drive from the rear. From the rear, the hocks remain parallel to each other, and the foot fall of the rear legs follows directly behind that of the forelegs. The legs, both front and rear, will tend to converge slightly toward a central line of gravity as speed increases. The side view shows good, strong drive in the rear and plenty of reach in the front, with head carried high. The topline should remain firm and the backline level as the dog moves.